(A/N: Updating all chapters so far :) Please enjoy and feel free to review ^.^)
The little hills of Hobbiton were strange to her, as she walked on a path that her feet had never touched before. There was peace in the air, calm and carefully cared for. How was it even possible for such small and unprotected creatures to keep peace so long? Some of the Halflings still wondered to their homes wearily, how did they never grow bored? It was one of these reasons that she had become a ranger, despite the wishes of her father, she did not wish to live a life so repetitive as the one she had left behind. She walked a little further down the road, the warm yellow glow from the round windows of the little burrows lit her path, it was not until she reached a fork that she realised she didn't know where she was going. She found herself walking toward a little door, circular in shape, and knocked gently. A female hobbit opened the door, a deep setted glare in her face, as though it had been placed there long ago. She opened her mouth to begin to speak but faltered when she so the dwarf standing at the door.
"Good evening Miss, I am Elill daughter of-" Before Elill could even finish to intoroduce herself, the door was slammed on her face, she sighed, lowering her head. Was it even possible to get directions in this place? Walking back to the main path, Elill walked toward a small winding path, hoping this would help her find her way. A young hobbit, possibly older than she, appeared from his hole, his blond hair curled slightly.
"A Dwarf?" He gasped, looking Elill up and down, taking in her deep brown hair and large green eyes. His eyes stopping at her neatly braided beard. She looked at him, tugging at the edge of her cloak subconsciously.
"Hello sir, I am-" She began only to be cut off by his voice, it was kindly and made her smile.
"I heard you when you knocked onto the door of that of the Sackville-Baggins's, do not mind them, they are like that, whether you are a friend of a foe." The hobbit explained to her, "Gamgee is the name, how can I be of service to you, traveller?" He questioned her. Elill was thankful to whatever being made such a polite creature.
"I was wondering if you knew the way to Bag End." She questioned the hobbit, who, if was shocked did not show it.
"There have been a lot of strangers coming this way to visit Mr Bilbo, if you just follow the path right, you will find yourself at the door of Bag End, no bother." Gamgee told her cheerfully, she smiled at him kindly.
"I thank you, Mr Gamgee, but might I ask, how do you mean by strangers?" The hobbit looked at her up and down before answering.
"Strange folk, like Dwarves and wizards, carrying weapons such as yourself, or larger, yes larger and less concealed weapons, such as axes and great swords. They wore colourful hoods and their beards long, they were heading for Bag End, 'cept none stopped for directions." Dwarves? Around Hobbiton? And the only other wizard she could think of was Gandalf? So the old wizard was up to something, and had given her no warning.
"May I ask one more question of you before I am to go on my way?" Elill asked of Gamgee who nodded his head.
"Ask away, if I am to ask you a question before you leave?" Gamgee answered, Elill nodded.
"Of course sir, you may ask whatever you need. How many dwarves are there?" She watched as Gamgee began to count on his small stubby fingers.
"Thirteen, I should reckon." He nodded his head, as though confirming what he had said with himself.
"Thirteen?" Elill asked, slightly astonished at the number that had come all the way to the Shire.
"Yes, first time I have ever seen dwarves before in all my life, mind you." He spoke mostly to himself, as he thought of the dwarves who had marched in many different parties past his small home. He shook his head as he remembered the Elill had now stood in front of him.
"But my question, yes, I must ask before I keep you waiting too long. Do you know why so many have come this way? Strangers I mean?" Gamgee asked her, she thought for a moment, she had not been told by Gandalf of the other dwarves, so she had no idea of why they had come to Hobbiton of all places, but if what Gamgee said was true, in which she could not doubt, then it was possible that they had something to do with Gandalf also.
"I feel as though it has something to do with Gandalf," she answered kindly to Gamgee, who looked at her with curious eyes.
"Gandalf?" Gamgee questioned, it was then that Elill knew that it was possible that he would not have heard of the great wizard. She nodded her head.
"Yes, he is a good friend of mine, and most likely that of the dwarves you have seen, now, I do not wish to seem rude but I have to go or I will be later than I am for my meeting." She bid Gamgee goodbye, and found that she did like the little hobbit, he was polite and slightly curious, but it was enough to make her smile. Gamgee hollered his goodbye, inviting her back for tea whenever she wished to. It was enough to give her a lighter impression of the hobbits, at least speaking with one more polite than the last. She walked up the road in which Gamgee had pointed her, making her way to what appeared to be a large hobbit-hole. The light was bright, and she could see shadows shifting inside, loud singing irrupted from what would seem to be a regular quiet hobbit hole. She lifted her hood up to cover her face, just as Gandalf had instructed. She turned her hand into a fist and knocked three times gently on the door, nothing happened. She huffed a sigh, and this time, knocked the door harder, the singing stopped and she heard the running from the inside. The door creaked open. A hobbit stood before her, his brownish hair was slightly tossled and his red robe was tied at the waste. She could tell just by looking at the poor soul that he had been, in fact, rather hassled by his new guests.
"Hello? I thought everyone had come already?" He seemed quite, and his voice was horse, he must have had to shout above the noise quite frequently to be heard.
"O, no Mr Baggins, this is a guest I have invited as my own." Gandalf called, hurrying to the door, crouched slightly so he wouldn't hit his head off the low ceiling. He smiled kindly once he saw Elill standing at the door.
"And the others were not?" Biblo muttered under his breath as stepped aside so that Elill could get inside the hobbit hole.
"So, Gandalf, care to tell me about the….others?" She mumbled, looking at the dwarves who sat around the table, her eyes wide. She had never seen so many of her own kin in one place before. She looked at Gandalf, narrowing her eyes at him.
"What is this about?" She snarled at Gandalf, who smiled at her politely.
"This is about reclaiming the homeland of your father, Elill the Ironfoot."
